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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. chip — for betting
  3. scale — in music
  4. spell — magic
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. press — newspapers
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rash — a series
  11. press — to push
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rash — hasty
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. spell — letters
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cue — a hint
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. press — a publisher

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com